In order to combat pollution and the effects of global warming, the world is transitioning towards a greater use of renewable energy to supply power to homes and businesses. Though wind energy is utilized today, nearly all existing turbines are designed for large-scale power generation. Often, such turbines can lead to public backlash due to concerns for animal safety and a general dislike for the resulting change to the nearby scenery. Further, the blades of a wind turbine can reflect the rays of the sun, creating a nuisance for nearby homeowners and a potential safety risk for drivers in the area. As a result, large-scale and small-scale turbines alike have struggled to gain popularity. Currently, there is no existing turbine on the residential market that successfully hides the blade rotation of the turbine and offers a minimal risk to nearby wildlife. Further, there is no such turbine which can adequately supply the amount of electricity necessary to power an all electric home and recharge two electric vehicles.
Accordingly, there is a present need for a residential wind turbine capable of meeting existing and future demands for electricity, while also minimizing health risks for humans and animals alike. The present invention is a highly efficient wind turbine which operates through the rotation of a turbine wheel. The present invention channels wind towards the outer edges of the turbine wheel in order to maximize the amount of leverage that the wind has on the turbine wheel. This is done through the use of a front wind-channeling cone which directs air outwards. A cowling is positioned around the turbine wheel which helps to hide the blades of the turbine wheel and ensure that wind is directed through the turbine wheel. The present invention also uses a wind accelerator to accelerate the airflow through the turbine in order to improve overall efficiency.
By using a two-stage wind accelerator behind the turbine wheel, the wind velocity can be increased past 53.9% of the initial velocity. The average wind speed in the US is roughly 13 mph. The wind accelerator, mounted behind the turbine wheel, can increase the wind speed 59.3% to about 21 mph. As a result, wind can be pulled into the turbine at 21 mph. A front wind-channeling cone is used to direct the wind towards the edges of the turbine wheel, diffusing and augmenting the wind another 53.9% to roughly 32 mph. As a result, the present invention is capable of generating an increased energy output compared to traditional turbines.